Post by Admin on Nov 5, 2023 8:54:47 GMT
How Frogs survive the cold late Autumn & Winter Seasons
As I travel into the Forest daily, Weather permitting, I see fewer & fewer frogs jumping into the Water puddles I often have to ride through on my motorcycle - and now none are to be seen.
I suspected they burrow in the ground. From the internet, and I quote:
"They usually find somewhere underground, or tucked inside a structure that sits on the ground surface. Hence, frogs might overwinter in a mammal burrow, or inside a compost heap. The important thing is that it's a place where the frog will be buffered against extreme cold, and won't lose too much water."
Frogs have the Biological ability to pump a syrupy natural anti-freeze into their cells, to keep their Organs from Freezing.
Here is a totally fascinating 2 minute video from National Geographic on this topic:
Some frogs spend Winter, in the mud, at the bottom of a Pond. From the internet:
"Some adult male common frogs spend the winter in ponds, secreted among leaves and mud at the bottom. This is a risky strategy, as smaller ponds can freeze over and frogs can sometimes die through a lack of oxygen. But clearly for some frogs the benefit of being first in the pond when females arrive in spring, means the risk is worth taking. Outside gardens, common frogs often hibernate in larger ponds and those with some inflow, which means freezing is less likely."
Note that, above, the "common Frog" is found in Britain and Ireland.
Michael Piziak, BS, MA